A campaign has been launched by a Far South Coast radio announcer for the Federal Government to make the cost of managing Type 2 diabetes fairer.
Continuous Glucose Monitors are currently subsidised for Type 1 sufferers while those with Type 2 have to pay the full cost of $102 a fortnight.
Pete Holland, who works for us, said he can’t afford to pay an extra $3000 a year for the devices proven to improve blood sugar management.
“I have been Type 2 diabetic for about 8 to 10 years now. Type 1 diabetics are already on the NDSS Where they get the CGMs covered. Now, for type 2 insulin independent people like myself, we don’t,” Mr Holland said.
“We have to pay full price and I can’t afford near $3000 a year, which is what the Freestyle Libre 2 ones cost,” he said.
“I just want to make it that level playing field for everybody and it’s only a difference of a number, a Type 1 or a Type 2 for someone like myself. So to have that level playing field and be able to have these where you can constantly see what your sugars are, it helps with your health in the long term, which will then benefit the nation as a whole.
“They make a massive difference because when you’re doing just the finger prick. It’s only getting your sugars at that time. It doesn’t show whether you’ve been high or a bit on the low side prior to that. It only gives you the instant that you’re checking. So with the CGMs, it’s a constant, as it says, and yeah, it’s a no-brainer for me that if it’s made cheaper for everybody, it’s going to help our health system.
“Diabetes costs the national health system $1.3 billion a year and if we can keep people out of our hospitals. It’s got to be worth the government saying, we need to give this a tick of approval.”
Pete said he had reached out the Federal Health Minister Mark Butler and local MPS’s is yet to get a response.
